In the Eye of the Beholder
by McRaider
Summary: So often we see the boys go flying through the air with the General Lee and watch them land perfectly, their heads bobbing back and forth, and sometimes perhaps we even cringe as they come close to getting hurt, here's a different story. Complete


In The Eye of the Beholder  
McRaider  
Summary: So often we see Bo and Luke take these jumps and watch their heads spring forward narrowly missing the steering wheel or dashboard. That wasn't always the case, when Bo was seventeen Luke had just returned from Vietnam when Bo had his first and largest accident…which caused some serious damage to both himself and the General.

Luke Duke sighed from where he was leaning over the bright orange car, trying to fix the few things that seemed to be wrong with his car. He had returned from Vietnam only months earlier and was desperately trying to get back into the swing of things, the swing of farm life. He was trying to get used to the silence at night, and the sound of his youngest cousin's soft snoring instead of the sound of bombshells every night and arterially fire from just outside the door.

The first couple nights had been pure torture for Luke Duke, nightmare after nightmare had plagued his sleep, memory after memory, he had heard tales about men with Post Traumatic War Stress or something, but he hadn't thought he would ever after that problem. Then again he had seen things no other person should have to see, he had heard and watched things no other person should be forced to watch or hear. He had held men while they lay dying, limbs having been blown off, heads gushing blood.

He had sat with the men through dinner as they tried to drink themselves to death so they wouldn't have to face the next morning possibility of never walking out alive. He had told wives and even a couple mothers about the deaths of their children and how their dying thoughts had been of them.

Luke was so lost in his thoughts he jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, just narrowly dodging the General's hood. Luke ducked out from under the car and looked up at his youngest nephew. The boy was a good kid, seventeen and all legs, and all temper.

"You scared ten years off me Bo," Luke said grinning as he wiped his hands on a rag lying over the edge of the General.

"Sorry Luke, I was just wonderin' if I could take 'im out fer a spin?" Bo didn't ask favors very often, but Luke was trying to teach the youngest Duke the fine art of race car driving and lately he had allowed Bo to take one or two drives a week on his own. This week had been busy for Luke, between little sleep, some problems in general with the car and the business of the season on the farm Luke hadn't gotten the chance to hand the keys over to his youngest relative and allow the boy to take the car out for a spin.

"He's not runnin' too well right now…it may not be a good idea Bo," explained Luke, but somehow he knew as soon as the words left his mouth that they wouldn't instantly be argued. That was Bo Duke, if he could find a reason to argue about something…anything he would and he would do a good job of arguin' too.

"Aw, come on Luke, he sounds fine to me, I'll be careful and I won't take long at all," Bo said looking at his cousin hopefully.

"After supper, then I'll agree to it," Luke said relenting to the boy's pleas before he could get much further; frankly Luke was in no mood to deal with Bo's usual arguments. If Bo wanted to drive him around for a few hours, then Luke wasn't going to stop him, the General wasn't in such bad shape that he couldn't take a little drive.

"Great!" Bo replied and hurried inside to change so he could get his chores done before dinner.

Luke shook his head and sighed, he remembered being Bo's age, it had been one year before he went off to the war, one year…It seemed like forever since Luke had ever felt as happy go lucky as his youngest cousin felt at this age.

Dinner was a somber affair, Luke mentioned Bo going out for a short drive after dinner, which Jesse agreed to as long as the boy was careful and didn't take any really high jumps. Daisy spoke briefly about the rising prices over at the Boar's Nest where she worked for Boss Hogg, and Bo talked rapidly about school before he excused himself from the table and hurried outside to the General.

Luke quickly followed his little cousin, "okay Bo, be careful I ain't got the headrests on in the back yet, I had to take them out. You should be find as long as ya don't take him off anything to big, just be careful with the bar back here, and driver her safely. You know Uncle Jesse's rule, back before dark," Bo nodded as he went over the long annoying list through his head that Luke had just rattled off and ten took the keys, climbing through the windows.

Luke stood aside allowing his young cousin to speed away in their car…or what would soon be their car. Currently it was only in Luke's name because Bo was still a minor in a court of law. But as soon as Bo hit eighteen both their names would go on the papers for the General Lee and they would split him fifty-fifty.

Luke sighed and headed back inside, hoping he hadn't forgotten to tell Bo about anything important. Walking inside, Daisy was already starting the dishes and Uncle Jesse had apparently retired to the living room.

"Wanna play chess?" Luke asked looking at his uncle seriously.

Jesse looked up at his eldest charge and smiled, all three of his kids had turned out just like their parents. Jesse had been caring for each child since they were toddlers, he'd been caring for Bo since Bo was six months old. Uncle Jesse was all they had ever known. Luke was the only child that seemed to have the slightest memory of either of his parents, and he had just turned four when his father had died in a car accident, and his mother had disowned him.

"That sounds good," Jesse said smiling as his eldest hurried to the closet to grab the board and the pieces.

Jesse hadn't played chess with Luke since before the boy had gone off to the war three years ago. Luke came back quickly and set the board up so they could both reach it, and within moments the two were enticed in a game of wits.

Daisy joined them in the living room at some point, half watching the game and half reading her book. She always found it fun and a little exciting to see two brilliant men go at it in chess. She'd been watching Uncle Jesse and Luke play chess since she was four years old. Luke had tired to teach her the game but she had never really caught on, at least not to the extent that Bo had or that her uncle and cousin enjoyed the game.

Bo Duke looked at hill and grinned, the bridge had been washed away months ago with the horrible flooding that had gone through here, Bo had been dying to take the General off the hill a couple times to see if he could make the jump. He knew his cousin had told him no big jumps, but Luke was always over protective.

Looking back at the bar right behind his head Bo shrugged, and strapped himself in tighter to the seat, he backed his car up enough so he could get a good start and pressed the gas to the floor.

The General growled like a fierce lion as he approached the fair sized gully. Bo grinned as the car hit the jump perfectly, soaring over the gully. He continued to rev the engine as it began it's decent. It dropped on the other side with a formidable thud, not enough to wreck the car, but enough to bang it up badly. Bo's head shot forward from the force and then back. Connecting with the steel bar his cousin had warned him about.

Bo cried out in pain as he heard his skull hit the bar with a solid crack, a moment later darkness descended upon Bo's world as he slipped into unconsciousness. The car came to a jerk against a large tree, the world stopping. Darkness creeping over the night in Hazzard county, and no one knew where Bo was.

It was reaching nightfall when Luke became concerned, while his cousin didn't always obey what he was told, Luke knew he would obey whatever was said about the General, after all if he didn't he lost his privileges to drive the car if he didn't do what Luke or Jesse told him.

"Where is that cousin of yours?" Jesse finally asked as he looked up from his chess game against Luke.

"I'll go find the blasted boy," Luke got up from the coffee table and headed towards the kitchen door.

"Luke, stay by the CB," Jesse called as his nephew walked out of the house to find their other way ward family member.

Luke hopped into his Uncle Jesse's pickup truck and headed off in the direction Bo had driven the General. It didn't take long to find the tracks the car left even in the growing darkness. Unfortunately it led right across the small gully that's bridge had been washed out just over three months ago. "Damn it Bo, didn't I say no jumps," Luke mumbled to himself as he quickly searched for another way to get around the gully, there was another bridge still in tact down about a quarter of a mile.

As Luke turned the truck towards the bridge he made a mental note to let Bo know that washed out gully would have to be his limit for driving from now on. By the time Luke crossed the bridge and was heading back over to the other side where the General could be his anger had progressed into worry. He hadn't seen hide nor hair of the boy.

"Breaker, Breaker, this is Lost sheep one, calling Lost sheep two, ya got yer ears on kiddo?" he called to his youngest cousin. "Come on Bo, are ya out there somewhere? We ain't mad, least I ain't none…Bo…"

He waited, continuing to drive when suddenly he spotted the General. Slammed against a tree, the car didn't look more than dented and banged up, but as Luke drew closer he saw the figure inside and felt his stomach lurch.

"This is Lost sheep one, calling Crazy C or Sheppard, any ya'll got yer ears on,' he tried his best not to sound frantic as he parked the car only feet away from the General and looked around for something in case he had to take care of his youngest cousin.

"Crazy Cooter comin' at ya, I might be crazy but I ain't dumb, what can I do fer ya at this late hour Lucas?" Cooter called from the CB most likely in his garage.

"Luke, we're here too," Daisy's call came.

"Cooter, get over here with your truck, the General's had an accident, Daisy, call an ambulance and send them over to the washed out Gully ten miles from our farm," Luke said.

"What's goin…"

"I ain't got time to talk Cooter, just get out here, and hurry please," he jumped out of the car, grabbing a towel from the truck bed and rushed over to the General's driving side.

Bo's head was leaning against the steering wheel, his arms limp at his sides, the only thing holding him into the seat was his seatbelt. Luke looked around the car and spotted the dark red spot on the metal bar just behind Bo's head.

"Jesus Bo, I told ya be careful," Luke hissed as he reached inside and unsnapped the belt.

Suddenly Luke realized he couldn't move Bo, or he could risk the chance that if Bo had a serious neck injury he could only make it worse. Luke never felt more helpless as he stared at his younger cousin, wishing he could do anything to help the younger man. He reached in and gently pressed the towel to the back of Bo's head where the blood had begun to form a clot. Luke could already feel the egg sized bump on the back of his head.

"Hang in there Bo, help's comin," Luke whispered as he checked over for a pulse, relieved when he found a thready but obstinate pulse.

The ambulance arrived twenty minutes later, Cooter two minutes before the EMTs. The two EMTs extracted Bo out of the car carefully, after placing a neck brace on him and set him on a back board. Luke watched them and realized someone should go get his Uncle and Daisy.

"Luke, you follow them in the truck, I'll bring Jesse and Daisy by in my truck," Cooter said patting his friend on the arm.

"Thanks Cooter…I…" Luke didn't know what to say, "thanks," with that he hurried off in the direction of the ambulance, jumping in his uncle's pick up truck he quickly followed the roaring ambulance to the Capitol City Hospital.

Luke was out of the car about the time they started to unload his younger cousin, he followed the EMTs, the gurney and his cousin, "sir…did you hear me," Luke turned his deep blue eyes up to the doctor who had just joined them.

"Sorry, what?" Luke asked confused.

"I asked you if you were hurt, what's brother's name, how old is he and does he have any allergies?"

"Uh…his name is Beauregard Duke, he's…seventeen…he's my cousin, is he going to be okay?"

"I don't know son, I need you to calm down and tell me if he's allergic to anything?"

"Uh…I don't know, he had asthma when he was younger, until about five years ago…he…he grew out of it…" Luke felt frantic to have his little cousin helped.

"Okay, son, I need you to stay out here, in the waiting room, you can't go back with us. We'll fix your cousin right up, I promise," the doctor placed his hand against Luke's chest and moved the gurney through the ER doors.

Luke sat there for nearly half an hour by himself, before Uncle Jesse and Daisy had arrived. Jesse came rushing through the doors, followed closely by Daisy, Jesse looked as frantic as Luke felt.

"Luke, how is he?" Jesse asked as he hurried over and gave his eldest nephew a strong needed hug.

"I…I don't know, the doctor's have been in there for an hour…or something…"

"Calm down Luke, your cousin is a strong headed young man, he'll pull through and be just fine." Jesse said as he wrapped one arm around Daisy and drew her and Luke over to some near by chairs.

It was another good twenty minutes before someone came out to see them, Luke spotted the doctor first, and stood, they were the only people in the waiting room, so the doctor probably wasn't coming for anyone else.

"Are you all here for Beauregard Duke?" the doctor asked.

"Yes sir, my name is Luke Duke, and this is my Uncle Jesse Duke, and my cousin Daisy Duke. Bo is our cousin."

"It's nice to meet you all, my name is Dr. Cartwright. Why don't we sit down and talk about your cousin Bo," they all took a seat and watched the doctor.

"How is he?" Daisy finally asked.

"Bo has a serious concussion to his occipital lobe, in the back of his head, unfortunately for your cousin, that area houses a lot of serious sense, such as the sense of smell, hearing and sight. He hasn't regained consciousness yet, but as soon as he does we'll test him and make sure he has all of his senses and that nothing was severely damaged."

"My nephew could be blind or deaf?" Jesse asked.

"It is a possibility, there is a chance that it could be temporary, but let's deal with that as it comes, for now I'm sure he'd love to see you all, he should wake up soon, and if something is wrong then I'm sure it would help to have you around."

The doctor led the Dukes back to Bo's room. Luke looked at his cousin and felt his stomach flip, the boy was lying on the bed, looking ten times smaller than he had only hours ago when he had been begging to drive.

"He looks worse than he is," whispered the doctor.

Bo had bandage on his head, probably to cover the goose egg in the back of his head. The boy seemed pale, "he'll be nauseas and dizzy for awhile, but it should wear off in a few days, we'll keep him here until tomorrow night for precautions."

"Luke," his scratchy voice came a moment later, Luke, Jesse and Daisy rushed over to the boy's side. His blew eyes slowly began to flutter open, he moaned as pain ripped through his skull.

"Luke?" His voice took on a more frantic tone as Bo looked around, his blue eyes however remained unseeing. Luke felt his heart stop, only momentarily, but it had stopped.

"Bo, I'm right here buddy, we're all here, Uncle Jesse, Daisy, and Dr. Cartwright," Luke said as he took his younger cousin's hand.

"L…luke, why's it so dark," whimpered the teenager.

Luke looked up at the doctor, then to his uncle and Daisy, "Doc?" Luke asked.

"Bo, this is Dr. Cartwright, tell me son, can you see my hand?" the doctor held up two fingers right in front of Bo's face.

"I…I can't see anything, what's wrong with me doc," whimpered the boy, "I'm…am I blind, what happened?" he whispered looking around again, hoping, praying for some sight.

"Bo, you took a hit to your occipital lobe, located in the back of your head, it's controls your sense of sight, we'll have to run some more tests. Bo your blindness may only be temporary," explained Dr. Cartwright.

"How will we know?" Jesse asked standing by nephew's side.

"We won't know until he starts gaining his sight back, we just have to wait, I'm sorry, I wish I had better news that that, but it's all I have," the doctor spoke simply.

Bo was released the next night, he hadn't said much to anyone over the past twenty-four hours. As the doctor had said he was blind, there wasn't much Bo had to say. However the three older Dukes worried about the youngest member of the family, Bo had always been afraid of the dark as a young boy, and one could only imagine how the boy was going to react to this, even if it was only temporary.

"Bo, we're home," Luke said looking at his cousin, who sat next to him, staring out the window as if he could still see the beautiful landscape of Hazzard Georgia.

Bo didn't respond, but he felt out for his cousin's hand, Luke gently led the boy from the truck into the house, and over to the couch, Daisy watched sadly and forced a smile as Luke tried to smile at her as well.

"Hey Bo," she greeted gently.

"Hi Daisy," Bo replied quietly as his cousin led him right to the edge of the couch. Bo carefully lowered himself to the cushions and looked around, suddenly afraid.

"Bo, do you need anything kiddo?" Luke asked as he knelt in front of his baby cousin. The boy turn his head towards the sound of his cousin's voice.

"A little light," Bo answered meekly. Luke smiled and reached up, ruffling the boy's hair and sighed.

"I'd love to do that for you kiddo, but the doctor says it's just gonna take some time. Are you hungry?"

"Thirsty…Luke…" Bo suddenly grappled out for his cousin. Luke placed a hand in Bo's.

"I'm right here buddy."

"Please don't leave me."

Luke could never remember his young cousin sounding so loss, not since he had reached his teenage years. Luke leaned forward and placed a hand on Bo's shoulder, "I'll never leave you again, I promise you," Luke looked over at Daisy.

"Bo do you want orange juice, milk, soda, or water?" Daisy asked from the kitchen as she grabbed a glass for him.

"Can I have a soda?" he asked kindly.

"Of course ya can sugar, here," she handed her youngest cousin a can of soda which he'd opened for him. Jesse came in the house and smiled at Daisy.

"What's fer dinner Daisy?" Jesse asked.

"Biscuits and gritz," Daisy said placing the dishes out on the table.

"Listen…I'm kinda tired, and my head hurts, ya'll mind if I go an' get some sleep?" Bo asked softly.

"Sure, here let me help you," Luke offered. Bo instantly took the help, allowing his cousin to lead him to the room they had shared since they had arrived in Hazzard County.

Luke gently helped his cousin sit down on the bed and looked at the boy, "do you want help?" he asked gently.

"I'm scared," Bo whimpered.

Luke sighed and took a seat next to his cousin on the bed, he gently rubbed the boy's back, "how 'bout I stay here with you 'till ya fall asleep," Luke offered.

"Okay," Bo laid down on his side, turning away from his cousin, Luke gently began to rub the boy's back in small gentle circles, like he had when Bo had been a little boy and had nightmares.

"I…I don't like the dark Luke."

"I know Bo, but there ain't nothing in the dark that ain't there in the light, the only difference is right now ya can't see what's there in the light. Bo you know this farm probably better than anyone of us. Once you get accustomed to this for a little while, you'll have no trouble getting around."

"I don't wanna get accustomed…"

"It's only temporary Bo."

"What happens if it ain't, I'll never see you, or Uncle Jesse, or Daisy…I'll never be able to drive the General again…"

"Shh, Bo, you'll do it all again, I promise you, it's going to be fine," Luke sighed, he felt as lost as his cousin did. They all knew this wouldn't be easy for the boy, but they had to help Bo.

He felt his little cousin's shoulder's shake, sobs beginning to wrack his cousin's small frame. Luke sighed, giving up on rubbing the boy's shoulders, Luke lay down beside his cousin and wrapped his arms around the boy, hoping his cousin knew he was there to support him.

"It's okay Bo," Luke whispered as he held the sobbing teenager, praying that Bo's sight returned right quick.

Luke hadn't realized he had fallen asleep when he felt Uncle Jesse waking him up. Luke looked around for a moment, gathering his surroundings. He looked down to see Bo still sleeping soundly in his arms.

"What time is it?" Luke asked.

"Well ya both disappeared in here bout thirty minutes ago. Guess he couldn't sleep?" Jesse asked. Luke sighed and gently pulled himself away from his younger cousin.

"Yeah, he'll be okay," Luke pulled up the blanket over Bo's shoulders and crept out silently with his Uncle Jesse for dinner.

"How is he?" Daisy asked as they sat down at the table.

"He's barely hanging in there, I promised him we'd help pull him through. We have to," Luke said simply.

"And we will, don't you two worry none, we handled with all the other problems that fell upon this family, we'll handle this one too."

"I wish Aunt Katherine were here…she'd know what to do," whispered Luke, remembering his Aunt who had died about ten years ago.

"Your aunts' watching over all of you," Jesse said softly looking down at the table for a moment.

"Luke? Uncle Jesse! DAISY!" came the cry, Luke bounded up from the table, running to the crying boy's room, Jesse and Daisy right on his tail.

"Bo, Bo, I'm here," Luke grabbed his cousin by the shoulders, shaking him awake. Bo instantly seemed to just know where his cousin was, because seconds later he was crying in his cousin's arms.

"We're here buddy, we're here," Luke sighed as he held the sobbing boy.

Jesse came over on Bo's other side; like any child, Bo could sense his Uncle Jesse, and turned to the man, crying in his arms. Luke shook his head and looked over at Daisy. She too was crying, getting up Luke pulled her into his arms and smiled softly, "we're here son," Jesse whispered.

Two days went by and Bo still hadn't gained his eye sight back, he had spent both nights sleeping in Luke's bed much like he had when he was a little one. Luke had protectively remained by his cousin's side.

After two days of allowing Bo to pity himself and be frustrated with his blindness, Luke and Uncle Jesse decided it was time to get the young man back on his feet. He woke up early the second day, waking his own cousin who lay beside him.

"Come on kiddo, get dressed," Luke helped him get changed and then sat him down on the bed.

"Look here buddy, I love you, but I ain't gonna make this easy on ya. Ya have to learn how to live with your blindness, temporary or not. Ya ain't gonna survive if ya don't. So we're gonna start with the house. You know this place better than anyone of us, you've been here for sixteen years and nine months, you know ever nook and cranny of this house, so today you're gonna prove it to me. So the first thing I want ya to do is find yer way out of this room."

"But I'm blind…how am I supposed to know where the door is?"

"You can't use your blindness as an excuse, you have to learn how to use it in your favor rather than as your disability. Picture the door Bo, picture it in your mind as you've seen it for seventeen years. Imagine it the way it was less than a week ago. We've got two dressers, a closet, two beds, a bedside table. Now you tell me where it is."

"Uh…the closet is across from our beds…which I'm sittin' on yours, the bed side table's in between…the two dressers, there's on one my side of the room and one next to the door…the door should be straight ahead," Luke grinned as Bo stood up and held his hands out in front of him. Moments later Bo walked through the door, a grin widespred on his face.

"Good, now where are you?"

"In the hallway, Daisy's room is to the left, and Uncle Jesse's is to the right…"

"Good boy, now get to the kitchen," He watched again with pride as Bo made his way through the living room. Luke was about to shout look out but decided to let Bo slip up, as the boy bumped into the coffee table.

"Dang it!" Hissed Bo as he rubbed his knee painfully.

"Don't be cocky, this is about learning, not knowing," explained Luke as he stood in the hallway, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You let me run into that," Bo said looking towards the voice of his cousin.

"Yes I did, because you have to learn. Now that you know where the table is, can you figure out where the kitchen is?" Luke remained standing in his spot.

"I…I think I can," whispered Bo. He turned and began to move forward, continuing his way around the house. Luke was pleased when Bo not only found the kitchen, but the table, sink, then found the door.

"Atta boy, good job. You hungry?"

"Actually, yeah," Bo said grinning.

"Good, find a chair and plant yourself," Luke said chuckling softly.

"Luke…"

"Yeah buddy," Luke responded as he continued to make the sandwich.

"Wi…do you think I'll ever get my sight back?" Luke turned around and looked at his blind cousin and sighed. He couldn't remember a time every feeling quite so helpless, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the boy's neck, gently squeezing him as they did to Daisy so often.

"Yes I do, I really think you will, but even if ya don't I still love ya, and I'll teach ya how ta drive, how to fix a car by sight, how ta find yer way 'round this farm so you can live with yourself, I'll teach ya everythin'. We'll make it through this Bo, just like we've made it through everythin' else in this life time."

"Thanks Luke," Bo whispered smiling softly, Luke remained holding his cousin for another moment before he placed a plate down in front of the boy.

"Now eat," Luke grinned and went on about his way in the kitchen.

Jesse found himself unable to sleep as a storm raged on through the late night, the next day would dawn too soon, and Jesse knew he needed sleep before the next day. Bo seemed to be getting better, but it had been a long couple days since the boy had lost his sight. Luke was doing his best to help the younger man, but there was only so much they could do. Bo would be crippled by the loss of his sight, while he could still do things, they wouldn't be as easy in Hazzard as they were for a seeing person.

He sighed as another crash of thunder came from outside his window. He jumped slightly when he heard something else, it wasn't the storm either. Getting out of bed he grabbed a blanket and slowly made his way through the house. He was surprised when he saw Bo sitting out on the porch swing.

"Hi Uncle Jesse," came Bo's voice.

"How did you know it was me?"

"It's funny, since I lost my eye sight I've started hearing things much better, Luke has a quick heavy step…the step of a man who lost a lot of people and has lived through every moment of it. Daisy's step is quick and pleasant, almost sounds pretty…just like her…you have a heavier footstep…it's hard to explain but footsteps of someone experienced and understanding, like you know what to expect."

"I'm impressed son, but what are ya doin' out here?" Jessed said taking a seat beside his nephew.

"The rain and thunder was keepin' me awake…did you know the sound of the rain hitting the ground is like the sound of grease dripping from steak to the bottom of the grill. Least that's what I think it sounds like…and the thunder it sounds like someone bowlin' and gettin' a big strike."

"Ya learned all of this in a couple days?" Jesse asked grinning.

"Yeah, s'pose I did, it's weird, I can't see you, but I know yer smiling, I can hear things I didn't hear before."

"I'm proud of how yer handlin' this…"

"Self pity wasn't doin' it, and Luke just wasn't gonna let that work the way I was hoping."

"Bo, I know ya probably don't wanna talk 'bout this right now, but…"

"I know what yer thinkin' Uncle Jesse, and I also know that while life will never be easy again on this farm, I ain't gonan leave ya'll. I can't, not yet."

"We'll do all we can…"

"Ya already have, you love me," Bo said softly.

Jesse wrapped his arm around his nephew's shoulders and pulled him close, he sighed for a moment, "yer a lot like yer daddy," Jesse said grinning softly.

"I am?" Bo asked grinning widely.

"That ya are, when yer daddy was eleven or twelve he was in a car accident with our mother, and he lost his hearing…I know ya prolly don't remember yer daddy ever havin' a hearing problem. But he lost eighty percent hearing in one ear and fifty percent in another ear."

"What did dad do?"

"For awhile…he sulked, but with a little persuasion from his family, we got him back on his feet. He learned how to adapt to things around him, he learned how to read lips so's not to make anyone talk louder than need be. He did very well and we were all very proud of him."

"I don't want this to be permanent Uncle Jesse," Bo whispered quietly.

"Neither do we son, but as God never gives us more than we can handle."

"Come on son, you should get some rest," Jesse said gently.

Bo reached out and grabbed his uncle's arm, "it can wait," he pulled his uncle back down to his side, "close your eyes," Bo whispered.

"Bo…"

"Please Uncle Jesse, just close your eyes."

Jesse took a deep breath and closed his eyes, it was silent, but as his he kept his eyes closed he could suddenly hear the rain falling all around him, he could feel the breeze as it blew by him, brushing up against his cheeks.

"I can feel it all around, it's weird, but I'm not alone…it's…you raised us to be religious men Uncle Jesse…I sit here and feel the wind brush past my cheek…an' I feel like it's God tellin' me everythin' will be just fine," Bo whispered.

"And it will Bo, it will," Jesse said pulling his nephew close in a hug.

Days soon passed into weeks, and soon into months; three months had already passed and Bo was showing no signs of regaining his sight back, he had managed to get around and had started doing his chores again.

"Okay you two, I'm heading into town for a couple hours, watch out for yer cousin," Jesse called as he climbed into the truck. Luke and Daisy waved goodbye and smiled softly at each other.

"Speaking of the littlest Duke, where is he?"

"I don't know, let's go play find him."

"Bo!" Luke called.

Daisy headed into the barn and was stunned to see Bo trying to climb the ladder, he had just reached the top when he began to lose his balance.

"LUKE HURRY!" she cried loudly.

She watched as the youngest Duke member fell to the ground, Luke came running around the corner watching as the seventeen year old dropped to the ground like a rag doll.

"Bo!" he cried, "Daisy call an ambulance, and get Uncle Jesse on the CB.

Luke knelt down beside his uncle, looking at the boy, suddenly afraid to move him, "come on Bo," he noticed blood dripping from his nose and ears. Luke had seen worse injuries during the war, but he also knew head injuries, especially two relatively close together were never good.

The ambulance couldn't arrive soon enough, when it finally did Jesse had already returned to the farm and was pacing around half yelling half worrying about his youngest nephew.

The ambulance rushed Bo to the hospital, where Luke, Daisy and Uncle Jesse quickly hurried behind them.

Dr. Cartwright slowly made his way to the waiting room, he smiled softly when he spotted the Duke family. Daisy was fast asleep, her head resting in Luke's lap, and Luke was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed, most likely in prayer rather than sleep. Jesse was no doubt pray as he closed his eyes, leaning over his knees his hands clasped together.

"Mr. Duke," Dr. Cartwright spoke.

Jesse stood up instantly, followed closely by Daisy and Luke, all of them looking terribly concerned, "how's my boy Doctor," Jesse asked.

"Your boy is one hell of a young man, he's very similar to you, he's got a very strong soul and an even harder head. Your nephew, as far as I can tell is going to be just fine. He's go a serious concussion, we'll keep him over tonight and see what happens tomorrow."

"He's awake and alive though?"

"He's groggy, he's not quiet awake yet, but yes he is very much alive, would you like to see him?"

"Yes," Daisy said.

Doctor Cartwright grinned and led them to the room, "if anything I'm pleased to see the accident did more good than bad to him."

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked.

Luke took a step towards his cousin and reached out, gently pushing a strand of blonde hair from his forehead, "Bo, hey buddy, it's time to wake up," Luke whispered gently.

"Blue eyes turned towards Luke and he smiled weakly, "ain't you a sigh' fer sore eyes," he murmured.

"You too little cou….did you say… Bo, can you see me?" Luke asked, as Daisy and Jesse moved closer.

"Yea', every ince of ya…from the crew cut you've been tryin' to grow out fer nearly eight months, to them cowboy boots I bough' fer ya last Chris'mas," he mumbled in exhaustion.

"Doctor, how is that possible?" Jesse asked.

"Jesse I'll be honest with you, bumps don't generally bring sight back, but I'd call this one a pure unadulterated Miracle, and that's certainly what I'd take it for," with that the doctor headed out of the room.

Daisy grinned as she hurried over to her young cousin's side and grabbed him in a hug. Bo chuckled and wrapped his own arms around her, "you scared ten years outta me Bo," she whispered.

"Me too," joked Luke.

"Well I wasn't exactly 'spectin' it neither."

Three days later Bo was released, he did as the doctors said and took the doctor's advice and got some rest. Luke was hurrying around the house to get ready and go fishing with his cousin when he stopped inside their room, Bo stood by the window, looking out the window.

"Bo?"

"Yeah?"

"You all right?" Luke asked as he stepped over to his cousin's side.

"Fine…I was just thinking," he whispered.

"'Bout what?"

"How lucky I am…God gave me a chance to really see things, then he gave me my sight back to appreciate the things I saw."

"When I came back from the war, I felt alienated, a little lost, I couldn't understand why so many people had to die and suddenly I was supposed to come back here, alive and for the most part healthy and just continue on with my life as though nothing had ever happened."

"What changed?"

"A lot of things, my opinion about the war for starts, seeing you changed everything. When I saw you and Daisy, I realized why I had survived, or at least why God gave me the chance to survive… I had to go on, because you guys needed me, and I do believe the other soldier's had people they left behind, but for one reason or another God gave me the strength to pull through, and he gave me the insight of a man instead of the boy I was when I left. I made a promise to you…hours before I left."

"You promised you'd come home, because someone had to watch over me."

"I had to come back, and I prayed every night that God would help me keep that promise. He heard my prayers."

"Thanks for stickin' by me Luke, always."

"Well thanks for wanting me to stick by ya kiddo," Luke replied softly.

The End


End file.
